Play It Forward: The Top 10 sports events Aug. 4-10 to keep on your calendar

NO. 1: MLB: DODGERS vs. ANGELS

Details/TV: At Dodger Stadium, today and Tuesday, 7:10 p.m.; At Angel Stadium, Wednesday and Thursday, 7:05 p.m. SportsNet L.A. and FSW: By the time this anticipated four-game, home-and-home, so-called World Series preview is finished, it’s hard to believe that the Dodgers and Angels will have played each other 100 times in the regular season since interleague play began in 1997 (yes, it’s been that long). And there’s no denying that the Dodgers still need a few more years to play catchup in the Freeway Series standings (yes, it will take that long). Since we’re not counting the long-standing pre-season exhibition games, we’ve noted that the Angels have won 56 of the 96 when-it-counts meetings, including 26 of the last 40. Most years, this happens in May or June, but this whole thing could be a 60-40 split when this week in August is over. While the Dodgers are aligned again with their top pitchers making an appearance here — including former Angels Zack Greinke and Dan Haren — Mike Scioscia had to burn Jered Weaver in Sunday’s game in Tampa Bay. Weaver, who beat the Dodgers 4-3 when the teams met a year ago, is 6-2 lifetime against them. But then, to show how much a difference a year makes, the pitchers of record in those four meetings in late May 2013 included Joe Blanton, Jason Vargas and Robert Coello for the Angels (with Ernesto Frieri racking up two saves), while it was Ted Lilly, Chris Capuano and Ronald Belisario getting decisions for the Dodgers, and Brandon League netting a save. Clayton Kershaw, who hasn’t lost a game since May 28 and has seen his ERA drop to 1.71, sports just a 2-2 record against the Angels lifetime in five starts with a 3.74 ERA and is set to throw Tuesday. At least with FSW handling all four games, a city mostly in the dark on other nights can see these all in one shape or form.

NO. 2: GOLF: The 96th PGA TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

Details/TV: At Louisville, Ky., Thursday-Sunday, TNT, Ch. 2:

The 156-man field at Valhalla will have the top 104 players from the world ranking, unless someone drops out at the last minute – someone like Tiger Woods, because of his back flaring up again, for instance. Woods, ranked No. 10, won at Valhalla back in 2000 but hasn’t played the course since as he seeks his fifth PGA Championship title. They’ve paired up Woods with No. 13 Phil Mickelsen for the first two days should he choose to play. New No. 1 Rory McIlroy, who won last week as well as the recent British Open, faces the fact that only six players in golf history have won the final two majors in a single season. No. 2 Adam Scott hasn’t finished out of a top 10 since he went to No. 1 in May. No. 7 Bubba Watson, who won at Riviera back in February before capturing the Masters, missed the cut in the recent U.S. Open and British Open. The last big event at Valhalla was when the U.S. won the Ryder Cup in 2008, and this is the final qualifying event for Americans to earn nine spots on the next Ryder Cup team. TNT has coverage Thursday and Friday (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), plus Saturday and Sunday (8-11 a.m.). CBS has the final two days (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

NO. 3: MLB: ANGELS vs. BOSTON

Details/TV: Angel Stadium, Friday-Sunday, FSW:

What has changed for the defending World Series champion Red Sox? Yoenis Cespedes is the new Big Papi protector in the clean-up role, and he’s already hit two homers with nine RBIs against the Angels in nine games playing for Oakland this season.

The series: Friday at 7:05 p.m., Saturday at 6:05 p.m. and Sunday at 12:35 p.m. on FSW.

NO. 4: MLB: DODGERS at MILWAUKEE

Details/TV: Friday-Sunday, SportsNet L.A., TBS:

Dodgers nemesis Gerardo Parra is parked in the Brewers’ pantry now, sharing outfield space with Carlos Gomez and Ryan Braun for the NL Central leaders and creating a new Nos. 1-2-3 in the batting order. Not sure if any Yasiel Puig triples will happen in this case now. So while all this is going on, Paul McCartney (not to be confused with Paul Maholm) is renting out Dodger Stadium for his Sunday night appearance. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

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The series: Friday at 5:10 p.m. and Saturday at 4:10 p.m. on SportsNet L.A.; Sunday at 11:10 a.m. on SportsNet L.A. and TBS

NO. 5: COLLEGE FOOTBALL:

USC, UCLA FALL TRAINING CAMP BEGINS

Details/TV: Today, at USC campus for the Trojans; at Cal State San Bernardino for the Bruins:

Now that the Aug. 30 season openers are on the radar — USC takes on Fresno State at the Coliseum, while UCLA is at Virginia — both squads can start the lead-up process. Many of USC’s on-campus practices guided by new coach Steve Sarkisian are open to the public, especially from the deck at Dedeaux Field. Some workouts at the Coliseum (starting Thursday) may also be open to fans. UCLA coach Jim Mora drags his Heisman candidate and Sports Illustrated coverboy Brett Hundley back to San Bernardino for workouts until Aug. 16, then takes them back to campus to play, assuming the practice field isn’t under water.

NO. 6: WNBA: SPARKS vs. ATLANTA

Details/TV: Staples Center, Friday at 7:30 p.m., TWC SportsNet:

Michael Cooper, who took over as the Dream coach this season and immediately got them to the top of the Eastern Conference standings, has gone through the nightmare of battling tongue cancer surgery recently and has had to take a leave of absence. The 58-year-old former Lakers guard who coached the Sparks to two WNBA titles will not likely be with the team as assistant Karleen Thompson fills in, but it would be nice to see him show up anyway. The Sparks’ week includes a home game vs. Tulsa on Tuesday (7:30 p.m, TWC SportsNet) and at San Antonio on Sunday (1:30 p.m., TWC SportsNet)

NO. 7: MLS: GALAXY vs. SAN JOSE

Details/TV: StubHub Center, Friday at 7:30 p.m., NBCSN:

Two days earlier, the Galaxy’s Landon Donovan, Robbie Keane and Omar Gonzalez have been requested to join the MLS All-Star team for an exhibition against Bayern Munich in Portland (6:55 p.m. Wednesday, ESPN), so by George let’s make sure there’s no useless tackles that result in widely circulated YouTube clips that ESPN will be afraid to show on “SportsCenter.” The Galaxy outlasted the Earthquakes 1-0 before some 50,000 at Stanford Stadium in late June on a second-half goal by Gvasi Zardes.

NO. 8: SWIMMING: PHILLIPS 66 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

The five-day event at the William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Complex reflects off the pool kindly on Michael Phelps’ comeback after his “retirement” following the 2012 Olympics. He’s locked in to swim in the 100-meter freestyle, 100 butterfly, 100 backstroke and 200 IM, and perhaps sign a slew of autographs as well. Missy Franklin, Ryan Lochte and Katie Ledecky are the other Olympic gold medalists and world-record holders in the pool. Ch. 4 has the main coverage Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. with a webcast available at usaswimming.org/nationals.

NO. 9: NFL EXHIBITION:

DALLAS at SAN DIEGO

Details/TV: Thursday at 7 p.m., Ch. 2

OAKLAND at MINNESOTA

Details/TV: Friday at 5 p.m., Ch. 5

What else would you be watching, another episode of “The Insider”? The inside scoop here is Chargers linebacker Manti Te’o is supposed to be primed for a breakout season, and meeting up with an unsuspecting Tony Romo could be his first place to make a statement.

NO. 10: BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONIES

Details/TV: At Springfield, Mass., Friday at 4:30 p.m., NBA TV:

Speeches this year come from and about inductees Alonzo Mourning, Nolan Richardson, Gary Williams, Mitch Richmond, Nat Clifton, Bob Leonard, Sarunas Marciulionis and the Immaculata College women’s basketball team. Oh, and David Stern. Somehow he got elected, too, without any waiting period after his retirement. Maybe Donald Sterling can present him.

BONUS ENTRY:

THEATRE: “DAMN YANKEES”

Details: Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center, Friday-Sunday:

The Tony Award-winning Broadway play from the 1950s that was revived 20 years ago for more recognition still has heart. The 3D Theatrical productions performance goes to acrobatic extremes to present the tale of how Washington Senators fan Joe Boyd sells his soul to the devil in order to become a star named Joe Hardy. If you can’t watch the Dodgers on SportsNet L.A., find your way to the Redondo Beach Performance Arts Center (1935 E. Manhattan Blvd.) with shows at 8 p.m. Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. More info: 3dtshows.com